Robert McEvily Six Sentences, The Anthology

During my web travels this week (don’t you love that? It sounds so, i-jetsettery), I stopped by Guthy’s blog and saw that Robert McEvily, Editor-in-Chief of Six Sentences online, and editor of Volume 1, the 6S Anthology was out! Oh yeah, V16S is O to the U to the T, babies, out and ours for the taking to dive into.



Six Sentences is one of my favorite litalicious reads. Publishing, poetry, fiction, non-fiction and other litsmackin’ goodness, Evileen welcomes unpublished and established writer’s to take a crack at spinning a yarn in… you know the drill, Six Sentences. He’s a renaissance man, an artist, a writer, a producer and a true showman in the campiest most fabulous way. Rob is unbelievably talented, a mensch, to be sure, and one of the most approachable, fabulous editor’s out there. Please, he’s published how much of my insanity?!



I was so fucking excited to see that the anthology was out, I simply had to e-stalk him assssapy with six questions about the 6S Anthology, now available on Amazon and Create Space. Known for his graciousness, he indulged me and spilled like nobody’s business—what a doll. After the read, do not forget to run like a dawg and buy your copy of VI6S.



I give you... Robert McEvily’s 6S



Why were you originally drawn to the idea of telling a story in Six Sentences?
I’ve always loved short fiction. As a reader, I’m a fan of quick payoffs. As a writer, it’s so much fun to get in, get your point across, and get out. You get that awesome feeling of completion, of actually finishing something. Novels have their place of course, but in this fast-paced world, with so many things competing for your attention, flash fiction’s a nice, time-saving alternative. I also love the sound of “Six Sentences.” Alliteration, baby!



How many authors are in the 6S Anthology?
Close to 200 – can you believe it? I love it! When I first mentioned potentially having a book, the reaction really encouraged me to do it. I didn’t want to simply package some of my favorite pieces from the site. I wanted the book to feature all new work. When I made the call for submissions, and they immediately came pouring in, I felt both relieved and excited.



How is the anthology organized, by genre, by author, by what, spill?
I struggled a bit with the book’s structure at first. Then I began to see it as a trip we were taking together, like a flight. So I structured the book like a flight! There’s a “Pre-Flight Announcement,” and then the book is divided into six parts: Takeoff, Ascent, Cruising Altitude, Refreshments, Descent, and Landing. Each part features roughly 45 pieces.



Tell me what to expect when I open up your fabulous new read?
Expect a mind-blowing orgasm. I’m not kidding. It’s THAT good. There are pieces that will make you think, laugh, cry, shiver, blush, and on and on and on. It’s a roller coaster of thoughts and emotions.



Since debuting 6S online in what ways has it surpassed your expectations?
The site’s reach never fails to surprise me. I started with the hope it would catch on in New York. I hoped it would become this little place for local writers to riff a bit, try stuff out, like comics work-shopping new material. The site’s now a year and a half old, and we’ve got contributors from England, India, Africa, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Australia… it blows my mind. The power of the Internet – it’s staggering!



Where can I buy 6S and where can I catch a reading online or offline?
It’s available at CreateSpace, where the book is published on demand, and at Amazon.com. And if you run into me on the street, I’ll probably have a few copies up my sleeve, so I guess you can get it from me too! I have some old friends at Barnes & Noble – I used to help coordinate author signings at the Astor Place store – so I’m aiming to cash in a few favor chips. I’m hoping to have a 6S reading at a Barnes & Noble in the city in September to help celebrate the site’s second birthday. And when it happens, YOU, Ms. Katie Schwartz, are totally invited!



See! Is he not the menschiest of mensches?! Thank you, Evileen.



Run like a dawg and grab yourself a copy of the 6S Anthology at Amazon or Create Space.



Congratulations, Rob!